


rookies in love

by blindinglights



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Crushes, Getting Together, M/M, Rookie Year, Tater on the Aces
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27998280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindinglights/pseuds/blindinglights
Summary: The team’s idea of fun is hanging out at a karaoke bar in Ottawa.Kent keeps himself glued to a far corner of a booth, tucked away in the darkest part of the little room they rented for the night. Alexei’s two drinks in, singing Britney Spears because he said he knows Kent likes her. Blushing, Kent watches as Alexei belts out the lyrics to “Hit Me Baby, One More Time”. Alexei’s absolutely terrible, but Kent would be lying if he said he didn’t find it cute.
Relationships: Alexei "Tater" Mashkov/Kent "Parse" Parson
Comments: 14
Kudos: 85





	rookies in love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kirani](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirani/gifts).



> hello! this fic is for kirani! I was prompted pre-canon, rookie year, with Tater on the Aces. 
> 
> thank you to bigspicysenpai for the beta!

Kent doesn’t know what to make of Alexei Mashkov.

They’re both new to the Aces. Rookies just trying to make it on the team, treading the same fine line. Although Kent knows that he’s got a place on the team, Alexei is basically treading the thinnest line amongst them. The team seems to like his loud, happy demeanor, though, and Alexei’s a great defenseman. There’s no doubt about it, and in Kent’s opinion the Aces would make the biggest mistake if they ever sent Alexei down to the AHL team. 

Both of them being rookies also means they’re both shoved together in the same hotel room. Kent has been trying to keep his distance from everyone, because what happened with Jack is still too fresh. But Kent finds himself looking at Alexei more often as the season goes on. He’s nice, talkative to anyone who will listen. He seems to take Kent’s silences as a go ahead to ramble on about any and everything, his thick Russain accent. Sometimes Kent wants to go away and find a quiet corner, but he can’t really bring himself to do it. There’s something with Alexei that makes Kent stay rooted in the spot, as he listens to him ramble about something that happened on some TV show he watched, or something Kent missed in the locker room, or something his mother told him when he video chatted her the day prior. 

And Kent can see that Alexei is attractive. He’s tall, dark hair, and built in a way that makes Kent divert his gaze when they’re changing out of their uniforms. Kent’s sure he’s just got a thing for tall, dark haired men. 

As the days turn into months, he starts to realize that he might just have a thing for Alexei. But Kent’s trying not to go down that road. His heartbreak’s still too fresh; but it doesn’t stop Kent from thinking about Alexei at all, even if he’s not ready yet.

-

“You ever try Russain food?” Alexei asks one day. 

There’s a few Russains on the team besides Alexei, but Kent’s not really made many friends yet, so it’s not like he’s ever gone over to anyone’s houses to eat anything. No matter how much Jeff tries to drag him out of the house, in the name of team building. 

Kent shakes his head and mumbles, “No.” 

“Is real good. If my mama visits, I have her cook for you,” Alexei tells him. “She love to cook.”

Kent shrugs, “Okay,” and then brings his attention back down to his phone, where he’s shifting through articles about the season. 

“Or you come to Ivan’s house, he cook for you,” Alexei says. “We have big meals. You always welcome, Kent.”

“Yeah, Kent,” Jeff says, poking his head between them. The bus abruptly stops, jerking Jeff forward, and Alexei laughs. “You should come out one night. All you do is stay in your room and watch tape.” 

“Someone needs to go over the tape every night,” Kent points out. “If we want to make the playoffs.”

“And we do, during team meetings,” Jeff says. “Stop overworking yourself, kid. Have a little fun.” 

Kent blows out a breath as he considers it. Maybe a little fun won’t hurt him. Maybe he can go to one of the team nights.

“No fun with team, mean no team building,” Alexei points out. “We build great team at bar.” 

“You can’t even drink yet,” Kent points out. 

“No, but still have fun, you know,” Alexei says. “And we can drink in Canada.” 

“Live a little, Parse,” Jeff says. “It’ll do you some good.” 

“Fine, sure,” Kent says. “Fun.” 

-

The team’s idea of fun is hanging out at a karaoke bar in Ottawa. 

Kent keeps himself glued to a far corner of a booth, tucked away in the darkest part of the little room they rented for the night. Alexei’s two drinks in, singing Britney Spears because he said he knows Kent likes her. Blushing, Kent watches as Alexei belts out the lyrics to “Hit Me Baby, One More Time”. Alexei’s absolutely terrible, but Kent would be lying if he said he didn’t find it cute. 

“Come on, Kent,” Alexei says as he tries to pull Kent out of the booth. 

Kent tries to shake his head, but it’s no use. Alexei manages to pull him out and up onto the tiny stage at the front. The entire team is laughing and cheering them on. Alexei’s smile is so wide Kent wonders if it hurts his face. 

Alexei bumps his hip against Kent’s, pushing the mic in front of his face, all the while still trying to sing the lyrics. He’s a horrible singer and he’s messing the lyrics up so badly, but god, it’s so freakin’ charming that Kent can’t help but grin. 

“You’re fucking up the song,” Kent says. “That’s not how they go.” 

“Then you sing,” Alexei says. “Come on, Kent.”

Kent ducks his head, face probably so red from his blushing, and thinks, fuck it. He starts singing, ignoring everything around him except for Alexei’s bright face. 

One Britney song turns into two, turns into him and Alexei doing a duet to a song Kent forgets the name of but has them both giggling by the end. 

He’s not sure how Alexei managed to do it, but by the end of the night, Kent can’t keep the smile off his face and he hasn’t felt this happy in a long time. He was happy when he was drafted, but that felt too hollow for it to feel like true happiness. But laughing and singing with Alexei feels real and natural. 

Kent isn’t sure he’s ever felt quite like this at all, but he wants to feel it more often.

-

It starts somewhere between when Kent first met Alexei to the time spent in the karaoke bar. But somewhere along the line, Kent’s feelings toward Alexei have morphed into a crush. He’s tried so hard for that to not happen, but it’s been completely out of his control. It doesn’t help that they end up spending a lot of time together.

Alexei has taken to showing up at Jeff’s doorstep and dragging Kent out of the house, all in the name of “team building”, although Kent knows he’s full of shit. He’s pretty sure you can’t call it a team building exercise if it doesn’t involve everyone. 

He doesn’t have the heart to correct him, though. 

They’re at the mall grabbing ice cream after a morning of shopping. Alexei’s is close to falling off his cone, and Kent’s trying not to laugh as he watches it slide ever more down the right hand side. Alexei’s busy trying to chase it, smearing ice cream all along his face.

“It’s gonna fall,” Kent says with a laugh. 

“No it won’t,” Alexei says, determined. His brow is creased in concentration as he pushes the scoop back to the top of the cone. He manages to do it, although it’s still balancing precariously up top. One wrong move looks like it’ll put it back to where it was, or completely topple it over.

Kent motions with his hand at where the ice cream is smeared on Alexei’s face, still laughing. “You have it all over.” He tries motioning to his own face, then at Alexei’s.

Alexei sticks his tongue out as he attempts to messily lick some of it away. “Good?” 

Kent swallows, watching as Alexei licks his lips. He’s hit with the urge to kiss him, but there’s no way he’d do it out in the open. “Yeah, kinda.” He motions again; he moves a little closer as he tries to point at where the ice cream still is. 

Alexei tries to lick it away again but after a moment he just ends up using his shirt to clean it off. He’s grinning wide and pointing at his face. “Now is it good?” 

“Yeah,” Kent replies with a nod. “Yeah, you’re good now.” 

He still can’t shake the feeling of wanting to kiss him, but he tries to focus down at the ice cream that’s steadily melting in his hand instead of his sudden urge. 

-

They practice out in the little makeshift rink that Jeff has in his basement. 

Alexei skates circles around the rink as he tries to trash talk Kent into following after him. The little rink isn’t big enough for much of a race, but they still end up trying to race around it, until they’re bumping into each other after their third lap. Alexei laughs as he tumbles down onto the fake ice, his hands making contact with a loud noise that bounces off the walls. 

“You’re fun,” Alexei says. “Team does not know what to think of you, you know. But I know better.” 

“Yeah?” Kent asks as he takes his helmet off, tossing it off to the side. “What do they say anyway?” 

He knows what a few of the guys say. He’s overheard it a few times, when they think Kent can’t hear them. But he asks Alexei anyway, feeling a little curious. 

“You are too quiet, that you are different from the stories,” Alexei tells him. “But I tell them they don’t bother to try. You are quiet, but still fun. Something bad happen right? I hear about it during draft.” 

“Yeah,” Kent says with a nod, laying his head down against his knees. “The draft wasn’t how it was supposed to be.”

“Make sense, you so quiet. Nobody should expect you to be same Kent after that.” Alexei bumps his shoulder against Kent’s, his smile soft, reassuring. “I like you, Kent Parson.” 

Kent smiles and thinks, I like you too. He doesn’t think Alexei likes him in the same way, but he’ll take what he can get, and if that’s Alexei’s friendship then he’ll accept it.

-

Alexei does what Jeff has called “getting Kent out of his shell”. 

Slowly, Kent starts opening up a little more as the season grows on. They’re winning countless games. Kent’s managed to be the top scorer for the Aces, and the coaches are buzzing with words that Kent tries to ignore, instead focusing on the playoffs that are fast approaching. He talks more with his teammates, even going as far as joking around at times, and he’s starting to feel more like a part of the team instead of an imposter on it. He’s starting to feel happy and hopeful, and he knows it all stems from Alexei. Partly due to Jeff, but he knows it’s mostly Alexei.

Kent still spends most of his time with Alexei. They go shopping, hang out by Jeff’s pool, go on hikes in the Las Vegas desert trails, but a lot of times just stay in Kent’s room playing video games. Jeff hangs out with them sometimes, but mostly it’s just the two of them. He likes it when it’s just them. Alexei’s fun and funny, and every moment together Kent’s crush on him grows. 

He feels like he’s bursting at the seams with affection toward him. Sometimes he thinks it might be a dangerous path to go down. Liking a teammate has never boded well for Kent in the past. But a lot of the time, being around Alexei just makes him feel more free; free to be himself and free to allow the crush to grow into something he doesn’t want to put a name to just yet. When they’re together, it doesn’t feel dangerous or like he’s not allowed. 

He wonders if that’s what’s let him put his guard down more and more. 

“You okay?” Alexei asks. 

They’re currently sprawled out on the floor of the basement, in front of the giant television screen that has a movie playing. Alexei tilts his head as he survey’s Kent, a worried expression on his face.

“I’m fine,” Kent assures him, diverting his gaze back at the television.

A hand on his cheek a moment later has Kent startling. When he looks back, Alexei’s closer, his face mere inches in front of Kent’s. He sucks in a breath. His eyes dart down to Alexei’s mouth before his brain kicks back into gear, and he quickly looks away. 

“Kent,” Alexei says softly. 

Kent’s looks back, their eyes locking. Alexei’s smiling, a soft twist of his lips. 

“You know, when I say I like you that day,” Alexei starts saying, “I mean I really like you.” 

Kent’s breath exits in a whoosh. “What?” 

Alexei’s grin grows impossibly wider. “Like you as in want to kiss you.” 

He doesn’t think he’s heard that right, so he says, “What,” again. Less of a question this time. His surprise must be written across his face, because Alexei chuckles. 

“Can I kiss you?” Alexei asks then. 

His words caught in his throat, Kent simply nods. When Alexei leans in the rest of the way and kisses him, it feels different than all the other kisses Kent has had in the past. There’s a warmth spreading throughout him, a happiness that he’s never felt before. As Alexei starts to pull away, Kent chases after him, and doesn’t want to stop kissing him. Alexei laughs into his mouth. They sit there on the basement floor trading kisses for the longest time.

When they finally break away, Kent can’t help the smile on his face.


End file.
